People
Terms
Events
Law/Policy
This and That
100
Before becoming the 26th U.S. president, he led the Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War and later built up the Navy with his "Big Stick" diplomacy.
Who is Theodore Roosevelt?
100
This 19th-century theory applied Charles Darwin’s concept of “survival of the fittest” to human societies, often used to justify imperialism, racism, and unregulated capitalism.
What is Social Darwinism?
100
By 1849, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world, known as "forty-niners," flooded into California in search of wealth during this major event in American history.
What is the California Gold Rush?
100
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. expanded its influence into territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, partly as a result of this foreign policy approach.
What is imperialism?
100
This form of art, often used to comment on political events, social issues, and public figures, uses satire and symbolism to convey a message or critique.
What is a political cartoon?
200
This term was used to describe powerful 19th-century industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie, who were seen by critics as exploiting workers and bending rules to make huge fortunes.
Who were the Robber Barons?
200
French for “let do” or “let it be,” this hands-off economic philosophy supported minimal government interference in business and dominated U.S. policy during the Gilded Age.
What is laissez-faire?
200
This conflict from 1899 to 1902 began after Filipino revolutionaries, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, resisted U.S. control following Spain’s defeat.
Hint: America used this country as a stepping stone to China.
What is the Philippine-American War?
200
In 1898, the U.S. annexed this Pacific island chain after the overthrow of its queen, Liliuokalani, marking a key moment in American imperialism.
What is Hawaii?
200
This "M" refers to the U.S. desire to find new places to sell goods, especially after the Industrial Revolution flooded domestic markets.
What is Market?
300
This more positive term was used to describe business leaders like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, who were praised for their innovation, philanthropy, and contributions to the U.S. economy.
Who were the Captains of Industry?
300
Formed to protect workers’ rights during the rise of industrialization, these organizations fought for better wages, hours, and working conditions—often clashing with business owners and the government.
What are labor unions?
300
Driven by the promise of land, gold, and opportunity, this 19th-century movement saw Americans expand westward across the continent, often displacing Native peoples along the way.
What is Westward Migration?
300
This term refers to President William Howard Taft's policy of using economic power and investments, rather than military force, to secure American interests in Latin America and Asia.
What is Dollar Diplomacy?
300
What is capitalism?
400
During the 1800-1860 there was a rise in immigration and job competition so they migrated west.
Who are poor European immigrants?
400
Beginning in the late 1700s and accelerating in the 1800s, this transformative period introduced mechanized production, factory systems, and major technological innovations like the steam engine.
What is the industrial revolution?
400
The strategy of providing billions of dollars in financial aid to Europe after World War II to help rebuild countries' economies and keep them from becoming Communist.
What is the Marshall Plan?
400
First declared in 1823, this U.S. policy warned European powers against further colonization in the Americas and was later used to justify intervention in Latin America.
What is the Monroe Doctrine?
400
Completed in 1914 with strong backing from President Theodore Roosevelt, this engineering marvel connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and symbolized growing U.S. power in Latin America.
What is the Panama Canal?
500
Cattle and horse herders, usually of mixed Mexican and Native American ancestry, who worked on larger Spanish and Mexican ranches. They were expertly-trained riders and ranchers, often called the original Cowboys.
Who were the Vaqueros?
500
These rights allow labor unions to negotiate with employers on behalf of workers over wages, hours, and working conditions—central to the labor movement's demands.
What are collective bargaining rights?
500
This war, fought from 1846 to 1848, ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and resulted in the U.S. acquiring present-day California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
What is the Mexican-American War?
500
Proposed by Secretary of State John Hay in 1899, this policy aimed to ensure equal trading rights in China and prevent any one nation from monopolizing Chinese markets.
What is the Open Door Policy?
500
This sensationalist style of reporting, popularized by publishers like Hearst and Pulitzer, fueled public support for the Spanish-American War.
What is yellow journalism?